Movin' On Commodores

• 1 Hold On 04:14
• 2 Free 03:53
• 3 Mary, Mary 04:23
• 4 Sweet Love 06:34
• 5 (Can I) Get A Witness 04:09
• 6 Gimme My Mule 05:13
• 7 Time 04:24
• 8 Cebu 04:49
• Total Runtime 37:39

Info zu Movin' On

The Commodores were an American funk/soul band of the 1970 s and 1980 s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee University in 1968. They signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour. Originally they came from two former groups the Mystics and the Jays, but wanted to change the name. To choose a new name William 'WAK' King opened a dictionary and randomly picked a word. 'We lucked out,' he remarked with a laugh when telling this story to People magazine. 'We almost became The Commodes!' R&B purists have often argued that The Commodores did their most essential work before 1977. It was in 1977 that they crossed over to the pop/adult contemporary audience in a major way with 'Easy,' and subsequent hits like 1978's 'Three Times a Lady' and 1979's 'Still' (both of which reached number one on Billboard's pop singles charts) certainly weren't the work of R&B snobs. Of course, Lionel Richie never claimed to be an R&B purist, although it is safe to say that The Commodores were still a hardcore funk/soul band when their third album, Movin on, came out in 1975. From an R&B standpoint this is one of their most essential releases. Those who love hard, gutsy 1970 s funk can't go wrong with horn-powered gems like 'Mary, Mary,' '(Can I) Get a Witness,' 'Gimme My Mule,' and 'Hold On'; however, the song that Movin on is best remembered for is the laid-back, gospel-drenched hit 'Sweet Love.' Written by Richie, 'Sweet Love' is one of those secular soul tunes that isn't really gospel but borders on it. And even though Movin on is an album that R&B purists rave about (rightly so), you can't say that it was ignored by pop audiences -- 'Sweet Love' was a number two R&B hit, but it also reached number five on Billboard's pop singles chart. The last track on the album, 'Cebu', became a staple on the 'Quiet Storm' radio stations, and appeared as a B-side to two of their later singles, 'Fancy Dancer' (1976) and 'Only You' (1983).

Lionel Richie, vocals
Thomas McClary, vocals, electric guitar
Walter Orange, vocals, drums
Milan Williams, electric guitar, keyboards
William King, trumpet
Ronald LaPread, bass

Recorded and mixed at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood
Engineered by Cal 'RE20' Harris
Produced by James Anthony Carmichael and Commodores

Digitally remastered

The Commodores
Renowned for the R&B hits "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy," and "Brickhouse," to name but a few, Commodores were one of the top bands during their long tenure at Motown. The group is credited with seven number one songs and a host of other Top Ten hits on the Billboard charts, and their vast catalog includes more than 50 albums.

The members of Commodores, all of whom attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, came together as a result of two groups disbanding: the Mystics and the Jays. Initially formed to simply play music as a pastime and to meet girls, the lineup consisted of William King (trumpet), Thomas McClary (guitar), Ronald LaPread (bass), Walter "Clyde" Orange (drums), Lionel Richie (saxophone), and Milan Williams (keyboards). The members nearly went stir-crazy trying to pick a name for the group, but with no success. As a last resort, Orange gave King a dictionary and told him to pick a name — that name was the Commodores. With Clyde Orange the only learned musician in the group, Commodores began spreading their music throughout their base, which included Tuskegee, Montgomery, and Birmingham, AL.

After success securing dates in their own backyard, the band ventured to New York City for a gig at Smalls Paradise. Told, in so many words by the club owner, that their sound was not happening, the self-contained band was nevertheless called back to the club to fill in for a last-minute cancellation. That night the Tuskegee alumni performed before a standing-room-only crowd — most of which were friends and family of the band. Unaware of the planned crowd, the owner booked the band for two more weeks.

Commodores' long association with Motown began as a result of a tour opening for the Jackson 5. That opportunity occurred in 1971, when the group auditioned in New York City for an unknown yet high-profile gig. Two weeks later, they made their first appearance in the prized support slot, and didn't give it up for more than two years. Their excellent shows naturally led to a deal with Motown, and they debuted with the up-tempo instrumental dance cut "Machine Gun." Written by Milan Williams, its Top Ten outing gave the group immediate attention. It was followed by the Top 20 single "I Feel Sanctified," which led to their third single — and first number one record — in "Slippery When Wet." Inside of 17 weeks, the septet was rocking the airwaves with their brand of Southern funk, spiced with an animated vocal delivery courtesy of Lionel Richie and Clyde Orange.

In September of 1976, they released "Just to Be Close to You," their second number one single and a number seven pop hit. The Top Ten hit "Fancy Dancer" followed, and then came "Easy." Different from their other tunes, "Easy" was very serene and not nearly as soulful or funky as the band's other tunes. Nonetheless, it claimed the number one spot on the charts, and it paved the way for the style of ballads the group became known for. One exception to the ballad-heavy approach was "Brickhouse," the song that soon became the group's anthem. The arrangement and candid vocal lead by Clyde Orange was complemented by the evenly saturated percussive and rhythmic attack, and it cracked the Top Ten at number four. Two consecutive number one singles would follow: the dance cut "Too Hot ta Trot" and the placid number "Three Times a Lady." And then there was "Still," the last number one for the group with Richie as a member. In 1981, Richie recorded "Endless Love" with Diana Ross. The song peaked at number one for seven and nine weeks, respectively, on the Billboard R&B and pop charts. Its success was a prelude to what Richie enjoyed upon his 1982 exit from the group.

In the absence of Richie, the group promptly courted tenor J.D. Nicholas (formerly of Heatwave) and ended up recording their biggest hit. Penned by Clyde Orange, "Nightshift" paid tribute to the late soul singers Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. For four consecutive weeks it topped the charts, and it also won the group their only Grammy.

Commodores finally left Motown in 1985. Consequently, the group signed with Polydor the same year and had another swing at the Top Ten with "Goin' to the Bank." During the '90s, the band was reduced to a core of three: Orange, King, and Nicholas. The threesome were nearly as active as they'd ever been, performing around the world and managing their own label, Commodore Records.

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